An operating system (OS) is a set of programs that mange a computer's hardware resources and provides a plurality of common services for different application software.
Mobile operating system, also known as: mobile OS, mobile software platform, and/or handheld operating system are the operating systems that control a mobile device. Mobile OS are similar in principle to an operating system such as WINDOWS, MAC OS X, and/or LINUX distributions that control a desktop computer or laptop, for example.
Exemplary devices running mobile operating system: are smartphones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), tablet computers, information appliances, mobile devices, and/or wireless devices. Some of the above are part of a group of what are sometimes referred to as smart devices, which may also include embedded systems.
Exemplary Operating systems that can be found on smartphones, mobile OS powered tablet computers, and other mobile wireless devices can include: GOOGLE's ANDROID, APPLE's iOS, RIM's BLACKBERRY OS, MICROSOFT's WINDOWS phone, LINUX, HP's webOS, SAMSUNG's BADA, NOKIA's MeeGo, among many others.
Application software also known as “app” or “application” are software designed to help a user perform specific tasks. Exemplary application may be: office suits, graphic software, media players, etc.
Mobile applications are software usually designed to run on smart devices such as, but not limited to: smartphones, tablet computers, etc. Mobile applications may be available to purchase or to be free downloaded through application-distribution platforms, which are typically operated by an owner of the mobile operating system such as, but not limited to: APPLE store referred to as Apps Store, ANDROID market, etc. Mobile applications may be downloaded from the platform to a targeted device. Exemplary targeted device may be: an iPhone, a BlackBerry, etc.
An application server is a software framework that provides an environment in which applications can run, no matter what the application are or what they do. It is dedicated to the efficient execution of procedures (programs, routines, scripts, etc.) for supporting a construction of applications. Application server may act as a set of components accessible to a software developer through an API (application program interface) defined by a platform itself, for example.
Today's technology, supported by mobile wireless devices and the accompanied cellular infrastructure, may enable one or more community-driven applications. A community-driven application may be a software application executed in at least two mobile wireless devices of at least two community members and which can automatically send information to other mobile devices of some community members, using the cellular infrastructure and the application server, to use that information for their benefit, and vice versa.
A user of the community based application initially execute the application on his mobile wireless device, which in turn can establish an on-line connection with an application server using the cellular infrastructure and send and/or receive information, to and/or from the application server, for example. Community-driven applications are usually free to download and use, thus appealing to many users to download and enlarge the community of users that can add information.